With exercise, John Cullen was able to slow and even reverse the progression of his Parkinson's symptoms

[Farooqji]

PARKINSON'S DISEASE HAD caused 61-year-old John Cullen to slouch and drag his foot while walking. Then Cullen started powerlifting. He's since become strong enough to dead lift 465 pounds. Beyond strength, exercise ameliorated many of the Parkinson's symptoms he experienced in everyday life

health.usnews.com/health-ne...

[Jogger20June]

Congratulations on getting the motivation to start working out.

There is an additional piece to this that I'd like to add. Not the same as exercise, but it will be a huge benefit to PD sufferers. I believe that as I've experienced it myself.

Many PD suffers experience, as we know so well, low energy and mood, and I have suffered all of that.

I've been hugely fortunate enough to discover the benefits of Intermittent Fasting (IF), which can motivate one's to start exercising with energy and purpose. It's a springboard as it gives focus and energy.

I did not start IF to help with Parkinsons, but in order to lose weight. I have indeed lost weight, but more importantly, IF has energized me mentally and given me the drive to set and achieve progressively more challenging goals in exercise and other areas in my life.

IF has changed my energy levels and boosted my motivation. After about ten days on IF (16:8) I started to think more clearly. In the past, I have a lot of problems with Vitamins or Supplements in general as they make me hyperactive and manic, in fact.

IF does not make me either manic or hyperactive. My chess rating has improved by 10% after plateauing for decades. IF takes a few weeks to kick in., however.

After feeling the inprovement, I was curious and researched all I could on Intermittent Fssting after I started feeling remarkably better.

Apparently, according to research, IF boosts BDNF and that is what is so stunningly effective. Do some research on IF and BDNF, it's totally worth it.

Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF) is, according to multiple sources that I have read, produced by the body in response to food deprivation. That's what triggers the magic.

Check it out, if you haven't already done so.

Anyway , thanks for reading this and all the best!

[Jjrr in reply to Jogger20June]

I have found the same results with IF.

[lovesuz3483 in reply to Jogger20June]

Which IF do you follow. I have done the 5 hour window 3 pm to 8 pm

[Jogger20June in reply to lovesuz3483]

I follow the 16:8 regime as I find it so easy. Essentislly I don't touch food fir 16 hours, except for black tea, or coffee, without sugar.

I was hungry the first day, I must admit, but my body adapted quickly. What is so weird to me, is that my whole life, I have had zero will-power with food, and yet I've been doing a food deprivation program for a while now, and it feels easy and I've been sticking to it.

It's life changing and it'll set you onto more good things, you'll lose weight, have the energy to workout and you will not deteriorate as fast, in fact you'll improve in some amazing ways.

[gginto in reply to Jogger20June]

Thanks for this info! I also believe this.. Going to start it now!

optimallivingdynamics.com/b...

[Jogger20June in reply to gginto]

Thanks for letting me know, gginto. I have discovered through reading, that our bodies need some hardship (exercise, fasting a little) to operate better.

I'm thinking of doing the Polar Bear Swim in Vancouver. If you read about what exposure to a few seconds of cold water does to help you, I'm pretty sure you'd find it interesting. There is a cult following of cryotherapy ( I think that's what it's called, exposure to cold in a tank) and I'm reading about it.

Taking a cold bath for one minute, three times per week, is what I'm planning.

Good luck!

😀

[b-bobble in reply to Jogger20June]

In the beginning of last year I lost a lot of weight (unintentionally) and upper body muscle mass to the point where I look almost malnourished. I'm also weak. I was told by one of the MMD that after having PD awhile sometimes this happens. I had it approx. 5 years. My posture curved and abdomen distended also test came back osteoporosis. I've always been a steady weight but now struggling to gain even tho I drink a protein drink once a day and eat balanced meals. Off balance, leg movement/freezing and walking gate, urinary urgency interfere with exercising. I go to a PT 1 -2 X's. Anyone have or had this problem? Sometimes I'm so tired it's hard to motivate to exercise or do anything. At the time I noticed these changes to my body I was taking Azilect and Mirapex. I checked side effects and found weight loss, weakness, distorted posture on one or both. I freaked out and gradually weened off. I wasn't sure what good they were doing anyway. The year before this happened I added CL with bad results. One of which was a racing heart rate all the time. Which made me think that maybe that's why I lost weight.

[Jogger20June in reply to b-bobble]

hi, I see that you state that you're currently weak. I have been there and was there about 5 years ago. There is a war with PD that you (and I) have to win. I don't know or even try to understand all the medications that are out there, but I decided to go without the usual medications for PD.

I Googled it for months and got the impression that the medical cure was worse than the disease. Imagine that. You take a drug to help you with PD and it is far, far worse than PD itself. PD is bad enough, but the drugs make your memory worse, you deteriorate faster than if you do the treatment holistically.

You're doing well if you're doing PT (if that is Physical Training). I have Googled the PD effect and it seems people don't die from PD, but with PD. Some examples I have read about were medic al case studies where people with PF died of cardiac failure, kidney failure etc.

People with and WITHOUT PD die of those things all the time but with PD, it is headed your way. Fight back.

People with and without PD should fight the good fight against kidney and heart disease.

You're right; it is hard to exercise when you cannot get out of bed. I was there as little as two years ago. I was almost bed ridden. I lay on my bed all day. I started Intermittent Fasting and after ten days I had a burst of energy. I got out of bed. What the heck?

I Googled this too..I concluded after two days of Googling that it was BDNF, or Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor - now, I am not qualified to say that, but I am qualified to say that after starting IF (Intermittent Fasting) I have energy. It took ten days to kick in. That energy is being harnessed and instead of going by car everywhere, I walk. I walk 6 hours per week. I started at ten minutes every two days and over two years have built up to 6 hours weekly, and lots of miles. I can jog.

I drink one cup of green tea per day (more BDNF). I'm working out (more BDNF). Add that protein powder you were talking about. Build more muscle and work at it. Fight and fight some more and IF (Intermittent Fasting) will keep your energy up. Eat less but more nutrition,. Eat no junk. Do a livercleanse.

Gait issues improve with balance training. All the best and it was great hearing from you! Slow down the PD.!

*

[b-bobble in reply to Jogger20June]

Thank you J20J,

I am encouraged to see that there are PWP who are going alternative when it comes to meds. At the same time it makes my head spin trying to digest all options to make sense for me. However, I am very nervous about the side effects of PD meds and what I’ve experienced so far (not good) makes me lean towards alternative methods.

Right now I’m off of everything but B1, CBD tincture & Melatonin (for sleep), Vit. D (osteoporosis), Zinc, Magnesium (muscle spasms). I’m still very weak (muscle & weight loss), trouble getting out of car/chair seat, tremor on and off (left side). In physical therapy I’m working on balance, strength, posture issues.

I acquired a racing heart rate (it peaks when I take too much CL or even mucuna) and told by cardio I have tachycardia and should get an ablation done. I attribute it to causing weight loss maybe even weakness. Before doing an ablation I want to see if stopping meds, going alternative, or exercise corrects it.

For BDNF, are you taking any natural remedies, vits., supplements?

My diet is not there yet because I’m caught between diets to gain weight and eating as healthy as possible. I’m interested in how to do a liver cleanse.

Thanks again.

[lovesuz3483 in reply to Jogger20June]

Thanks so much for your help. I have been diagnosed with PD but cant tell you when. I was treated for dystonia for 20 plus years and had deep brain surgery for essential tremor in 2017. Shortly after started developing systems of PD - they say I have atypical parkinsonism. I keep developing more and more symptoms. Unfortunately not enough help from neurologist. I have horrible balance and am afraid everyday of falling. I walk with a cane out of the house. I try to keep doing everything I possibly can. I have been through PT and try to do the powerexercises often. The problem i have is exercising daily - often cannot find time. My plan now is to do the IF 16:8 and start working in gym when I go to rock steady boxing I take the patch 8mg and Rytary 145 3xday. I have suffered a lot of depression. Just need your feelings. Thanks so much

[Nitro53 in reply to Jogger20June]

Exactly how do you go about fasting? Days, hours etc. Thanks

[AaronS]

This article does actually make sense, I have lifted enough before to literally feel my central nervous system feel the load and I got all tingly but for a minute afterwards all Parkinsons symptoms left my body completely, it was awesome.I do not recommend chasing that type of workout but definitely that type of intensity has to help with Parkinsons.

[Jogger20June in reply to AaronS]

Interesting. I just want to clarify, so I understand. When you say you don't recommend such a high workload, do you mean, such a high workload for a beginner?

Could someone else work towards that kind of workload over a long time, like a few years? Also, not to sound rude, but why are you pushing such a high workload?

Thanks in advance.

[AaronS in reply to Jogger20June]

Sorry, let me qualify further.Def not for beginners, I wasn't actually trying to go to such levels.

However in powerlifting /strength training you often just want to see what you can do....just that little bit more type deal. Or even just a prideful "I used to be able to lift like that a few years ago" (yes its dumb), however I was surprised to have that same result, my thoughts are is it the adrenalin that takes over and you just can do kinda awesome things.

It was literally just something I stumbled across, its only occurred twice over the last year... and at the time I was only trying to see what I could do.

I do believe someone could work up to those levels though, that level of intensity will work wonders, you would just need to do it safely

[Jogger20June in reply to AaronS]

Thanks dude!!!

[Spencer53]

Exercise is a must for PD patients - too many times there are emotional adjustments because lives are changed. Reading Dr. Norman Doige The Brain's Way of Healing - great information and one suggestion I read the other day for PD patients - there should be a PD Boot Camp because it can really guide PD patients to ways of improving their situation. Congratulations John Cullen for finding a way to improve your Parkinson diagnosis.

[Hidden]

Wow, he is so inspiring and uplifting. Thank you for sharing this!